As a member of THR4Life, I, (and the Board of Directors) are excited to announce THR4Life was selected to receive a non-profit advertising campaign for the Detroit Lakes region from Leighton Broadcasting.

A.J. is one of the people I follow on Twitter. Government officials are assumed to have a staffer manning their social media accounts. I – along with many others have tweeted at, to and above the “Dr. Gottlieb” account – thousands of times. This, of all things, got a response from Gottlieb. While we know he now knows there’s a mute button, we’re not sure if he’s utilized it.

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Poison Control

To be clear, the numbers below are *calls* to poison centers, not visits or treatment. Jake Jacobsen (@Jake2001 on Twitter) has been and continues to compile these each month.

“Here are the final numbers for 2018 from the U.S. American Association of Poison Control Centers. (AAPCC) Again, common household products continue to be much more prevalent.” – Jake

To my knowledge, no “epidemic” or crisis has been issued or discussed for laundry pods or hand sanitzer. Huh.

Surgeon General

The Surgeon General has decided to take matters to his own personal twitter account to discuss e-cigarette use and ‘epidemic’ proportions of said use in youth. This seems to take a bit of heat of Dr. Gottlieb directly (on purpose?) – and of course, there is a disclaimer on the account: “Tweets/RT don’t represent endorsement or my employer.”

I, among others, have decided to take him to task. “Past month” use is not equal to “daily use” and therefore does not constitute any meaning of ‘epidemic’.

Alcohol is 30.20% for “past month” use. Quite high! On the surface, I would call that a huge concern.

The Surgeon General conveniently displays data. No one has uttered a word of an epidemic of alcohol use.

Daily use of alcohol is significantly lower, reported at 1.20%. That’s an extremely dramatic drop in what on the surface looks like a very high and concerning number for “use”.

The only conclusion is for me, they didn’t ask – or report it – on purpose. If it were truly and epidemic, certainly daily use would be the most intriguing and telling figure for what would be an “epidemic” and the most important questionasked.

Author note: In or out of context, he’s sharing “national sentiment” and lack of balance.

His job description as Surgeon General is to provide “Americans with the best scientific information available on how to improve their health and reduce the risk of illness and injury.”

If you’re interested, you can also see what Dr. Adams has said in his non-representation of his employer about “feelings” and 30-day-use here.

I call bullshit, Dr. Adams. Fraud, corruption and conflict comes to mind. Those are my feelings. I suppose that’s what feelings are for. Imagine my feelings when I found while in your role as Indiana State Health Commissioner – overseeing Indiana’s Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Commission – you owned(or still own?)stock in tobacco companies.

Huh.

Voices of Vapers

Speaking of A.J…. he’s joined Lindsey Stroud!

In this episode of Voices of Vapers, A.J. Moll, Executive Director of Missouri Smoke Free talks about his efforts in Missouri, his extensive research on tobacco harm reduction, and the recent Twitter antics from U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams.

The public hearing will be held on January 18, 2019, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The public hearing may be extended or may end early depending on the level of public participation. Persons seeking to present at the public hearing must register by January 8, 2019. Persons seeking to speak at the public hearing must register by January 15, 2019. Persons seeking to attend, but not present at, the public hearing must register by January 15, 2019. Section III provides attendance and registration information.

Electronic or written comments will be accepted after the public hearing until February 1, 2019.

Note: Because I’ve seen way to many negative entries in these in the past, my strong suggestion is for everyone to make their comment(s), and make them clear – and polite.

“The anti-vaping push from public health organizations is coordinated, well-funded, and tied to powerful entities in government and corporate America. According to federal data, however, there is extremely limited evidence of any ‘epidemic’.”

Real People, Real Answers

It’s survey time for U.S. consumers. The largest consumer group in the United States, CASAA, and EcigIntelligence have teamed up once again for you (and all your friends who use e-cigarettes) to take and share the survey. I completed it in approximately 10 minutes.

Data and research are important.

Challenges in the United States are far from over. Your voice counts. As a consumer, your data is both necessary and imperative. Information obtained from surveys can be (and are) used by consumer and trade groups to inform our local, state and national legislators, regulators, media, research, along with public health officials and importantly, other consumers are able to consider making an informed choice to switch to a less harmful alternative.

A word from Alex Clark:

“Once again, CASAA is pleased to share the annual ECig Intelligence consumer survey with our members. As you may remember from previous years, CASAA works cooperatively with ECI to develop survey questions that aid us in our advocacy efforts and help take the pulse of the vaping community.

Your participation in this survey will help inform regulators, advocates, and commentators as we all work to build policies that benefit consumers.”

If Gottlieb was intending swift and STRINGENT ENFORCEMENT – and fines to exceed these – and I mean extreme fines – for selling to minors – for ANY counter sales – vape shops or otherwise, including losing their licences – via the Synar Amendment – changing it to 95% to “qualify for funding’ rather than the EXTREMELY lenient and ‘acceptable’ 80%, I’d almost start respecting efforts similar to these from Dr. Gottlieb.

For something compared as “addictive as cocaine or heroin”, I am VERY disappointed not to find evidence of nicotine gangs, cartels, trafficking, abuse or threats and specifically “epidemics” listed on the just-released “National Drug Threat Assessment”.

Vaping to smoking initiation among US youth and young adults: a reality check

I can’t tell if this got released “too early”, too quick, or dammit, there just isn’t a gateway despite Gottlieb’s determination of creating, nurturing and finally revealing an “epidemic”. Certainly, there is no gateway.

I consider you all intelligent and capable of thinking for yourselves. Each of you have the power of many that I cannot have alone. I consider the depth and importance you hold with your personal and professional lives. I also consider that YOU have a responsibility, response, and an ability – with the vast outreach you have – to make a difference. I’m going with the theory that we’re all only within “six degrees of separation”.

I understand in order to ask for support, you need facts.

Years ago, Dad had a motto for his business. “Know for a fact”. I’ve adopted that for this very personal message. I hope to briefly educate and enlighten you in the following few minutes of your our lives.

Pardon The Intrusion

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has made what I normally kick, scream and rant about on my Twitter account, my other Facebook page, and here on my blog, much, MUCH more personal. It’s about informed public consumer choices. It’s about rights. It is about you.

“When tobacco use decreases, less smoking occurs.”

Those Damn Kids

Are you a parent? I’ll let you decide if trusted “non-profit” groups like “Tobacco-Free Kids” (created by Johnson & Johnson, makers of smoking “cessation” products and then secretly negotiated with tobacco giant Philip Morris) are marketing cigarettes and e-cigarettes to children here. Or trustworthy. (I’ll wait.)

Remember when the public health community and media claimed e-cigarettes were a “gateway” TO smoking? Huh.

Think about the statement Dr. Gottlieb has made about “marketing to children”. Are you able to exercise your parenting skills? Dr. Scott Gottlieb of the FDA doesn’t think so. Like cigarettes, the law states anyone underage (18 or 21) cannot purchase these NON-tobacco products legally.

What you aren’t being told is these restrictions could lead teenagers back to smoking. The FDA wants to convince the world (whether they smoke or not) using rhetoric, proof by assertion, pseudoscience sound bytes and the ever-popular “Think of the children™ that e-cigarettes are “just as dangerous” as smoking. They’re not. While I’ll try not to bore you, there is data, science and research (and links within this blog). There is no doubt.

Unpopular opinion: I am totally fine with vaping among teens. Nicotine is a performance-enhancer (like caffeine in many ways) and the fewer teens smoking cigarettes, the better for public health. They are practicing #harmreduction.

Smoking or not

If you’re a smoker, I’m not telling you to stop smoking. (Smokers can go here.) Because vaping businesses are no longer allowed to tell you, I’m telling you e-cigarettes are a safer, healthier, smoke-free choice. It is an alternative for smokers who want to quit. Nothing more, nothing less. I’m telling you the FDA is trying to take away a choice that has worked for millions. A choice that works. This choice is being threatened.

I was told “stop smoking” since I was old enough to get caught smoking! I was told it was “nicotine“. It’s not. Have you ever caught a child stealing nicotine patches to feed their “addiction”?

It wasn’t so easy. “Government approved” patches and gums didn’t work for me, but I didn’t know why. I never thought to ask about the 93% failure rates. I was told it was willpower. It’s not. I was told I wasn’t trying hard enough. I wasn’t, but I didn’t know smokers average 30 attempts before they quit. I was told a lot of things. I’ve been lied to before, but not to this grand scale. They call it a sin tax. They’re addicted to taxing smokers.

I didn’t realize the discrimination and hatred against smokers is completely perpetuated by money. To call the anti-smoking movement “brainwashing” is an understatement. It is professional bullying. I didn’t realize it was a billion dollar industry – funded BY smoking. If this scale of hate was directed at any other group, there would be riots in the streets. Leave smokers alone.

Can you imagine

FDA will always promote science based decision making…”

~Dr. Scott Gottlieb

Cognitive dissonance is the mental discomfort experienced by a person who simultaneously holds two or more contradictory beliefs, ideas, or values.

Understanding

As a “professional smoker” for about 35 years, I found, by accident, an amazing product. An e-cigarette. Within 48 hours, it worked. It also worked for Janice. It has worked for some of you reading this, my family and friends. Sometimes it doesn’t. One son (23) does both and the other (20) still chooses to smoke.

For a while… I walked around happy I wasn’t smoking. My cough – a constant companion most of my life, had abandoned me in about a week. I was breathing better and felt better. I thought – well, it can’t be worse than smoking. I was both uncaring and blind to the issues and the controversy surrounding “e-cigarettes”. On the news, as you’ve all seen, I saw (a) report of “dangers” and I thought, no, you bastards – you are lying. You’re not telling the whole story.

On a cold winter night, I found David Goerlitz’ blog. He is the “Former Winston man”. In his blog, he explains the corruption from ANTI-tobacco groups (Body Parts™ groups – Heart, Lung, Cancer Associations) he WORKED for. These “non-profits” are funded by smoking. David FIRED me UP.

I read anything and everything. I started a blog. I joined Twitter. (Turns out, scientists, researchers and experts who don’t lie are real and on Twitter.) I joined Facebook groups to learn more.

Dave fired me up. At that point, I was on a mission to change the world. Without knowing better – within days – on December 17th, 2014 – I created a survey to show what others like me already knew to show YOU and others – our experiences… 7,238 people took it around the world. Around the world. Proudly, It’s been used and quoted in a few places. My mission for that survey was to tell other smokers there is another option. A place they could read about what others doing it – said. Reducing or eliminating asthma medications, lower blood pressure – and much, much more.

I found quickly – the experts, media, and (no surprise) government do not care about the truth. They don’t care about facts. Wait. They care about manipulating the facts. I don’t like you not knowing for a fact.

“The Real Cost”

Fear is a lack of knowledge. Knowledge is power.

The Food and Drug Administration will be spending money placing propaganda in your minds called “The Real Cost“. They” want to regulate, restrict, tax and ban a choice by using “children” as a ploy.

Here’s where you come in. I’d like you to consider how you can help, and it won’t cost you a dime. I’m asking you to stand up. Raise your hand. Question those in authority. Engage. If you have doubts, questions, concerns, thoughts… ask me. If you have friends, colleagues, associates, family, medical professionals… direct them to me. If I do not know the answer, I’ll ask someone else.

Please consider a *free* membership by joining the consumer group CASAA.

They released this comprehensive explanation today:

“We believe that even if youth use were increasing, it is still a public health benefit – provided that use of smoking products continues to fall.”

Make no mistake, Dr. Gottlieb has threatened consumers who have found a healthier, smoke-free, safer alternative to smoking.

Consumers, and the entire industry ARE at risk.

Along with “experts” in public health, politicians, “health” groups and media, Tobacco-Free Kids has manipulated the public campaign (and the market) for months.

Dr. Gottlieb finally responded in their favor by saying “The FDA has unpublished preliminarydata that shows a 75 percent increase in e-cigarette use among high school students this year compared with 2017″ and threatening (primarily) Vuse, Blu, JUUL, MarkTen XL, and Logic.

We’re committed to our comprehensive plan on nicotine and tobacco regulation, but we see clear signs that youth e-cigarette use has reached an epidemic proportion. And we must adjust certain aspects of our strategy to stem this clear and present danger: https://t.co/C5i0c22sRcpic.twitter.com/JXScdU32DA

Vapor Technology Association (VTA) Response

“Unfortunately, FDA and Commissioner Gottlieb took a giant step backwards against the best interest of public health. By threatening an industry – and technology that millions of adult smokers are successfully using to reduce or quit smoking deadly cigarettes–FDA is venturing into dangerous territory.”

JUUL joins VTA

I am proud to report Juul has joined the Vapor Technology Association.

In an ever-present scream test, the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids doesn’t seem to like that. Irony in a tweet. Take your time.

If @JUULvapor seriously supports raising the tobacco age to 21, why did they join an organization (as a Platinum Board member) that is hailing the veto of the Illinois #Tobacco21 bill as a “Vapor Victory”? https://t.co/86jAgwFUmZ

A Billion Lives: Aaron Biebert, Uncut

The Board of Directors at THR4Life decided to reach out to Aaron Biebert to chat with him about the 2nd anniversary of the North American premiere of his film, “A Billion Lives”…

Aaron Biebert talks about the inception, grass-roots research, and his perceptions while preparing for the film. He allows us an intimate perspective of challenges he faced while making the film, where the inspiration came from, and what it took to put this award-winning documentary together.

Will there be a follow up to A Billion Lives?

It was an honor to talk with him. Here are Aaron and I talking about passion, nicotine… and fire alarms.

Forget the little guy, it’s all Big Pharma now

The Social Side of Nicotine

Speaking of warning labels

August 10th was the deadline for all packages and ads (manufacturers and shops) for e-cigarettes and “certain other tobacco products” to contain the required ridiculous FDA nicotine warning. Jim McDonald covered that here.

Reminder: Today's the day all advertisements (including social posts) need to include the warning. Looking for an easy solution, go to MOV WARNIZER in the APP store and download it, courtesy of Ian Firth! Thank you! https://t.co/QyZWdcU9Krpic.twitter.com/SIrKC4ahpt

Our Friend James Jarvis

Your Home Is Your Castle, Unless You’re Poor

We are in a position where “control” has removed the last stages of freedom while pretending to be the “good guys”. This is now a state in which adults cannot choose to use a legal product in their own home.

Why Tobacco Stocks Have Lost Around 20% This Year

Teen and adult rates are at their lowest points in recorded history. Shareholders should have been paying attention to the big companies long before this. Predicted by many including me throughout this blog, it was bound to happen.

While the “tobacco control” factions of the world are lying, regulating, restricting, taxing and banning e-cigarettes to maintain their sustainability cash flow, The Foundation for a Smoke-Free World is looking at sustainability for farmers, and other nicotine products.

Color me surprised again.

Juul Madness

Changing patterns of first e-cigarette flavor used and current flavors

Over twenty-thousand people. “Restricting the availability of non-tobacco flavors could reduce adult smokers’ interest in switching to e-cigarettes or rationalize a return to cigarette smoking…” Pretty important.

A Tragic Story

In January a slew of reports came out in the ever-so-popular and irresponsible style of “journalists” with crayons flying… falsely blaming an e-cigarette / nicotine for the tragic death of a child. Well…

Regulation of Flavors in Tobacco Products

Iowa Attorney General, Thomas J Miller:

“We do not believe that FDA can reliably distinguish between harms and benefits that arise from flavors in non-combustible nicotine products, or provide assurance that its interventions would not cause more harm than good.”

Speaking of trolls:

Trolling a troll.

On another note: Bareham, a self-proclaimed something or other in tobacco control… and a Simon Chapman “minion” (hence the avatar I suppose).I’m not sure who “Cali Tobacco Control” is, but as a parody account, I say bravo.

Yes, like you we believe that our rigid beliefs must never be challenged by reason and polite discussion. Congratulations for successfully shutting off the trolls and crawling back into the echo chamber!

According to a report from Ian Jacques at Delta Optimist, the death of 14-year-old Kyle Losse was “a result of complications due to a stroke” back in January of this year.

The “autopsy showed that no nicotine was present in his system.”

Of course, that isn’t what was “reported“ when it happened.

While a tragic loss of life occurred – reporters took the liberty of manipulating circumstances surrounding the death and portrayed it as if it weren’t about the child at all.

It’s more tragic than this. Kid taken to a hospital after fainting. Blood work& tests. Speculated nic OD. Because a vape. Hospital released him after 8hrs. WHILE HE WAS HAVING A STROKE. He got worse at home, rushed to 2nd hospital, they did CT scan& found a brain injury& he died

Aside from the obvious, reporters spent an enormous amount of time and emphasis on a device and nicotine. I’ll get back to that.

One report stated (bold is my emphasis on all three) “The liquid he was inhaling tested positive for nicotine, a typical ingredient”.

Another report said “I do feel there was some negligence on their part. I feel that more should have been done,” said Losse, who said the e-cigarette tested as nicotine, and not an illicit drug.

A third report stated “A blood test determined that Kyle had nicotine in his system.“

This tragedy is not the first to be blown out of proportion by those (I assume) calling themselves professionals or “journalists”. Like otherinstances, the fact that there was an e-cigarette in the room in this instance – may have had nothing to do with it.

I’ll repeat this: The “autopsy showed that no nicotine was present in his system.”

Who knows what

It seems to me, while the child was under direct medical care, had it been unadulterated knowledge in this case this could have been avoided. If the condition was due to nicotine, critical information and knowledge about nicotine would have been imperative to the medical staff.

While I typed this blog, I wondered about how long “nicotine” would be traceable in the body after death since it was stated “no nicotine was present in his system“.

According to Wikipedia (with links intact):

The prognosis is typically good when medical care is provided and patients adequately treated are unlikely to have any long-term sequelae. However, severely affected patients with prolonged seizures or respiratory failure may have ongoing impairments secondary to the hypoxia.[4][33] It has been stated that if a patient survives nicotine poisoning during the first 4 hours, they usually recover completely.[27] At least at “normal” levels, as nicotine in the human body is broken down, it has an approximate biological half-life of 1–2 hours. Cotinine is an active metabolite of nicotine that remains in the blood for 18–20 hours, making it easier to analyze due to its longer half-life.[34](Source)

Acting on medical advice and information, the parents were under the impression “nicotine” was the problem. What?

Staff checked Kyle’s vital signs and did a blood test. It came back negative for anything other than nicotine, which can be toxic. He was given fluids and potassium.

“I want Delta Hospital to acknowledge that this shouldn’t have happened,” stepmom Niki Losse said Thursday. “I feel like they chalked it up to a stupid kid using an e-vape and didn’t fully look at everything that happened.”

Education is expensive. Please understand critical information:

Nicotine is in everyone’s diet.

“Nicotine is a normal part of the diet and everyone tests positive for it. In all of the large-scale clinical surveys where hundreds of subjects were tested, no person has ever tested negative for nicotine”

Overdosing:

“It is regarded as almost impossible to die from ingestion of nicotine alone, because the dose required is so large; and because swallowing it induces a vomit reflex that expels it and an anaesthetic is required to prevent emesis (vomiting); and it is so rare to find any example of an adult dying from nicotine ingestion alone that the suggestion is that some other agent was also consumed as an anaesthetic or anti-emetic” . (Source)

Questions

I question “experts” and “Public health”. (I do that a lot.) A whole generation has been brainwashed into the nicotine myth. They have done a piss poor job of downplaying ignoring the role of nicotine in the body, and demoniziong it to their advantage. Wouldn’t – in triage (nicotine) be the lowest priority on any list of “causes”?

Education is expensive. In this case, medical advice was trusted and deadly.

I question attending medical staff along with quality and level of care. Did they take the test and realize nicotine was going to show up? Did they even know everyone can test positive for nicotine? Were they seeking a “high” or alarming level?

I question any reporter(s) for continuing a path of clickbait headlines. I’m waiting on a line in any story – about most anything – where its SO idiotic that reporters will exclaim “no e-cigarettes were found at the scene”.

To the reporters and editors who allow this unacceptable type of reporting: Stop leading the public on, start acting like professionals. Do your job.

Medical staff: Treating the symptom, not the cause – is never an effective outcome.

Horrible. Consider what had to have happened here. It's almost certain that the medical responders had never seen a nicotine overdose. Same people would have seen many strokes. The "threat-salience" of vape is such that they completely disregarded their own knowledge. https://t.co/Gzqg6Iu2ZM

My quotes

“Without question, no one markets cigarettes or e-cigarettes more to children than Tobacco Free Kids. No one.”

“The leading cause of funding for tobacco control is taxes derived from smoking.”

“There’s a big difference in a 93% government approved failure rate and pretending people need a “plan” and “help” to quit smoking.”

“#Nicotine “addiction” causes smoking rates to decline to the lowest rates… in history. Take your time.”

“What are the health implications of deceiving smokers by regulating e-cigarettes as “tobacco” products”?

“We’re not idiots. We’re already looking for all we can know about e-cigarettes. Do you know why? We’re tired of everyone being lied to. Because we’re the stakeholder in the equation. You’re not.”

“I’m for whatever works for the informed consumer. Patch, gum, Heat Not Burn, vaping, acupuncture, books, hypnosis, counseling, etc. Do I “like” them all? No. It’s not about or me or are what “I” like. What may work as choice for a consumer is first.”

“Morals are standards set by those who want their standards met by others.”

“To debate a comparison of e-cigarettes to combustible tobacco is gross negligence or voluntary incompetence.”

“….the anti-tobacco lobby is threatened by progress. They’re not used to it.”

“The assertion of nicotine “addiction” by “public health” is profitable and absurd.”

“Oftentimes an expert will make a claim and just assume we will nod our head in agreement because that’s what YOU think we’re supposed to do because you have a title. ——Put that way before you hurt yourself. Let us take a moment to get past that, shall we?”

“When tobacco use decreases, less smoking occurs.”

“The only reason government doesn’t sell #cigarettes directly is to keep you thinking they – don’t.”

“Ecigs are a replacement for tobacco products. They are not a replacement for lost tobacco taxes.”

“Treating the symptom, not the cause – is never an effective outcome.”

“The largest threat to Public Health is an informed consumer.”

“Despite the vast claims “experts” manufacture, we, as individuals, are the experts.”

“Convincing smokers that nicotine is addictive is a multi-billion dollar global lie.”

“I’ll tell you what your government and health organizations won’t about e-cigarettes.”

“Government & those in care & custody of “public health” are lying, to their advantage – of the effectiveness of smoking cessation products.”

Vaping In The News covers media stories on smoking, vaping, snus, heat not burn, e-cigarettes, exposing tobacco control, public health, government, regulations, policies and more worldwide. The post Vaping In The News – January 19th, 2019 appeared first on Vaping Links And More.

Let’s change the conversation about the myths surrounding nicotine and vaping. The government resists ignores the opportunity to correct myths surrounding nicotine, vaping, and snus. Most things shared in mainstream media is full of multi-layered bias. There are difficulties explaining admitting vaping products and nicotine (and snus) are a safer, less harmful alternative to smoking, […]

I invested a bit of thought for the title of this particular blog. It is my intent is to both entertain and educate. With clowns to the left of me, research to the right, on average, I trust I can reach my goal. Normally I spend about two or three hours on any blog. While […]

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